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Passengers get first glimpse of Finavia’s art collection

Art Gallery at Helsinki Airport is now showing a new exhibition of contemporary art, Views en Route. The items shown are samples from Finavia’s art collection of late-20th century and 21st century Finnish art.

The overall theme of the exhibition is travelling: flying, travelling in time and space, as well as various views ranging from interiors to memories and mindscapes. Moreover, the theme of the exhibition reflects Finavia both as an enabler of travelling and its art collection, which offers glimpses into Finnish visual art of recent decades.

Views en Route is a presentation of works of art from the 1960s onwards from Finavia’s collections. The techniques used range from bronze sculpture to painting, drawing, graphics and glass.

The travel theme is echoed in the works on permanent loan that are placed next to the exhibition: the painting Change of Scenery by Mauri Favén and the sculpture Light Space Linear Momentum by Hans-Christian Berg.

The gallery is part of Finavia’s Art Port concept, launched during the World Design Capital Year. The basic idea is to provide passengers with surprising new kinds of services which give them both a chance to relax in the busy airport milieu and something interesting to help them pass the time while waiting for the flight.

The Art Port concept has given Helsinki Airport increased visibility. A unique concept, the airport's dedication to art is a subject of global interest.

“Standing out among our competitors is an important factor in our efforts to enhance the competitive edge of Helsinki Airport and its position as a major transit airport in Europe,” says airport director Ville Haapasaari at Finavia.

Finavia’s collection consists of 347 works of art, which have been placed at airports in various locations around Finland. The art acquisitions are also proof of Finavia’s endeavours to support Finnish culture and live up to its corporate responsibility. The Art Port concept is a natural continuation to this work.

“The art collection has evolved hand-in-hand with the founding and development of the airport network in Finland,” says art historian Petra Lehtoruusu, the curator of the exhibition. “The first works of art were acquired to enhance airport interiors in the late 1950s. The bulk of the work to build up the collection coincides with the expansion of the airport network in the 1980s.”

According to Lehtoruusu, the number of new items acquired for the collection started to decline at the end of the first decade of this century, with an increasing focus on public art. The newest acquisitions are the light sculpture Ruovikko by Seppo Koho, placed at Helsinki Airport in 2012, and the sculpture Aviator Solaris by Stefan Lindfors, unveiled at Vaasa Airport in autumn 2013.

Alongside the public works of art, the collection includes several works that have been placed in the VIP lounges and Finavia’s premises. The aim of the exhibition is to give a general glimpse of the collection and let passengers view some of the seldom-seen items in Finavia’s collection.

Views en Route can be seen in Art Gallery at Helsinki Airport. The gallery is located by Gate 27 and is open 24/7. Entry is free.